Strong Solar Flare and Radio Blackout - S2 (Moderate) Solar Radiation Storm In Progress

Solar activity reached high levels due to multiple M-class flares from Region 3559. The stronger eruption was an M6.8 flare at 29/04:38 UTC with an associated Type II radio sweep (512 km/s) and a 2700 sfu Tenflare. The strong eruption caused a shortwave radio blackout over Australia, SE Asia, China, India, and Indian Ocean. Ham radio operators and mariners may have experienced loss of signal at frequencies below 30 MHz for as much as an hour after the flare. A moderate (S2) level radiation storm is currently in progress. Proton levels streaming past Earth following the eruption around AR 3559 early this morning continued to gradually increase. An associated partial halo CME was first observed from STEREO-A coronagraphs at 29/04:24 UTC. An updated CME tracking model courtesy of NOAA/SWPC is calling for mostly a miss upstream. Despite this model, a glancing blow may still be in the cards within the next 48 hours. Stay Tuned! #solarflare #radiationstorm #CME Im